Rick E. Martin, DDS

Dentistry is about much more than treating teeth for me. I hold a deep conviction that the greater purpose is creating healthful relationships with people. I feel it is very important to develop a genuine bond of trust with my patients. I endeavor to treat everyone with kindness, respect, and understanding. I refuse to make treatment recommendations that I would not suggest for members of my own family. I believe that by learning each patient’s unique concerns and objectives, a successful result can be achieved. I want more than a passing interaction with patients. I want to get to know people. I expect to forge friendships with my patients. I practice with an underlying philosophy that the more educated people become about the conditions within their own bodies, the better they are able to maintain good health.

Feeling most fulfilled while helping others, I believed I wanted a vocation in medicine from an early age. However, after graduating from high school in Alaska, I initially pursued teaching. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education, and later a Master’s in Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, before returning to my first desire – a career in the medical field. In 2001, I graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska.

I am the son of Blaine and Mildred Martin, and I was born in Texas. With an Air Force dad, our family moved several times, eventually settling in Homer, Alaska upon my father’s retirement. We enjoyed the adventure of carving a homestead out of Alaskan wilderness. That is where I learned the lifelong value of family, friends, and neighbors. Our family still calls Alaska home, although they enjoy a second residence in Arizona’s warm climate. Adventure is in our blood. My older brother is a Bering Sea crab fisherman! I also have an amazing son, Francis.

Dr. Koppikar and I share the same treatment philosophy and our love for the outdoors!